1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to the repair of gas turbine engine airfoils without removing the airfoil from the engine, and more particularly to the repair of BLISK fan blades.
2. Description of Related Art
Leading and trailing edges of aircraft gas turbine engine rotor blade airfoils are subject to wear and damage that forms gouges and requires repair with a minimum of cost and difficulty. Repair of the airfoils conventionally requires their removal. However in combat as well as under other extenuating circumstances there is a need to field repair damaged airfoils without removing the blade or the engine from the aircraft. With the advent of blade integral disks or BLISKs there is an even greater need to repair the leading and trailing edges of the blade airfoils in the field while the engine is installed on the aircraft, either on the wing or in the fuselage, because blisk blades cannot easily be disassembled.